Chapter 9: The Transformation of American Society

The major key factor for this chapter was the migration of the Indians to the West Coast which is more known as the Trail of Tears. It's one of the most infamous acts of the "Indian-removal policy" which Andrew Jackson has established. It became clear that this policy set the tone of how Westward Expansion started in America. After the War of 1812, agriculture went down and left most of the population starving. Other than the agriculture, cities started growing after the war. The revolution of water transportation such as the Erie Canal, it made everything easier to expand the cities and the city growth was particularly fast in the West Coast. In hopes of everything, I know that it would be more of a transportation revolution. I found that the fact cities were growing through just water canal had opened up so much more opportunities for Americans. I feel that it has opened up the Industrialization Era, where luxury goods were starting to become more affordable for everyone. What the transportation revolution gave, it could open up so much more opportunities for everyone. The railroads finally started to come, and I can see why people would rather build railroads than canals, mainly its cheaper, faster, and less dangerous for people.
 I hope the industrial revolution has opened up the American Society and able to open up new innovations such as the textile cities.

Chapter 7: Launching The New Republic

It intrigued me how Alexander Hamilton started establishing all these rules such as a new national security. Hamilton believed that the federal's government survival had to be changed by the rules. All these changes payed off because his financial program rescued the nation's credit debit. I found the sudden movement of change can help pay off the nation. It makes sense that there would need to be tweaks if there wants to be other implants there made. It makes sense that he would have different kinds of offers to the nation and that it would be handed off in that direction.
They saw the 1790's as a place where the public got too involved in politics. This is where the divide of Federalists and Anti-Federalists started to happen. I found this part confusing in a way because there were so many subdivisions to the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. I hope to learn more about the politics that happened during this time, and see what happens with the War of France.

The War of 1812

The War of 1812 took place in the summer where it resolved a lot of issues that came up during the American War of Independence, but there weren't any boundaries that were crossed. Great Britain wanted to restrict the trade routes in America, and sadly America had too many defeats from Canada, Great Britain and other countries to stand up on their own. It wasn't until America finally bombarded Great Britain troops in New York, and a new sense of patriotism was spread across America. They still celebrate The War of 1812 as the second American Independence.

Constitution of the United States

   The Constitution was written to establish the colonies independence from the British, and become their own nation and have the right to govern themselves. Being a different nation from Great Britain, we set up our own form of government such enforcing new legislative branches and have presidency instead of a Monarchy. It's even stated in the Preamble "We The People" meaning we are our own citizens, we are our own people, and we will protect and serve duty to our own nation. The Preamble is the most important part of the Constitution because it sets the tone for the rest of the Constitution. Reading the Preamble again brings back a timeless classic memory in 8th grade when we were assigned to memorize the Preamble. My teacher showed us a song called Preamble by School House Rock. With it's catchy tune, and cute cartoons to go along with it, it still symbolized the justice and independent freedom we as a nation had gained. It showed one of the most proud moments in America and recognizes the bold moves our founding fathers were able to do.

Chapter 6: Securing Independence, Defining Nationhood

 In this chapter, it was surprising to hear that the British started having a lot more advantages over the Americans during the revolutions. One of the main reasons being they outnumbered the Americans, and the population actually favored the British. 1/5 of that population happened to be Africans in hopes they would gain freedom is the British won the revolution. I think everyone was hoping for a new gain for freedom. The revolution itself was for the people's voices to be heard, and for them finally have their rights. I loved reading that women were trying to gain their independence as well, especially Abigail Adams. How she tried to have her voice heard through writing, for I feel writing and words of the wisdom is the best weapon anyone could have.

Common Sense Quotes

“When I was teaching children I began every day writing this on the blackboard: "Do to others what you would like them to do to you", telling them how much better the world would be if everybody lived by this rule.” - Thomas Paine

This is the most famous quote by Thomas Paine, and one of the beloved quotes my parents and my teachers growing up would use. Hearing those words over and over, I never understood the true meaning of it until one day I was in a horrible situation. I vented to a friend about this situation of mine, and she simply replied by repeating these words. It wasn't until then it finally clicked into my head, and finally understanding the state of it. The way you treat others, such as family, friends, anyone in general, treat them how you would want them to treat you. Thomas Paine simply means if we show small acts of kindness, we surely could make this world a lot more peaceful. It would be the effort attempts that would be made.

Chapter 5: Roads To Revolution

  In this chapter, I was surprised to hear about all internal conflicts happening between the colonies, to the point that their was a war for to protect their war and try to fight over all the colonies. It happens to be the same effect for most of the colonies. There was one point where the British thought it was outrageous to have to have protection within their own country, and I would have to agree with it. Knowing that colonies are divided against each other, and having to gain "revolution" for their own colonies is ridiculous. The Seven Year War didn't change much through the centuries. Though these battles were for them to not dictated under British rule anymore, and wanting to make decisions for themselves.
  The Anglo-Americans who were the unpatriotic Americans started with small acts of rebellion. The most infamous one would be the Boston Tea Party. This was when the Tea Act happened to be one of the few that according to The Enduring Vision: A History of American People 7th edition by Boyer is the "Attempt to bail out the East India Company that heightened tensions between Britain and colonists"(110). This heightened tension when fifty young men who dressed up as Indians dumped all the Tea into the harbor. Even though I've heard of the Boston Tea Party countless times, it still fascinates me till this day how this act of rebellion and disruptive process still put an impact in America today. This were the first signs of rebels, and Anglo-Americans were the first rebellions in America.

Chapter 4: The Bonds of Empire

   In this chapter, they start talking about the forming of colonization. The colonies started to have their own communities, especially the British colonies. After the second wave of its colonial expansion, I was surprised to read that the British colonies had taken over about 1.1 inhabitants, while the other colonies barely had any. Such as the French people, they weren't able to immigrate because of the harsh weather along with poverty that had struck them. I think what made British colonies appeal to immigrants is the farm land they offered and they accepted non-British immigrants as well. The fact they had a huge diversity in their colonies helped prosper into what would be America today. Having more equal rights, and being able to have a working job, by maintaining the crops on the farm land.
  The other thing that caught my attention was the difference between American born slaves which they referred to the term "Creoles" and African born slaves. Creoles used their English first language to their advantage, and are almost treated like servants. They covered a lot of maintenance work around the household and don't have to endear the hard labor such as the African born slaves that were forced to work out in the field. In some ways, slaves were gaining small inches of freedom such as moving away from their owners households and renting rooms. Yet the one that caught my attention was the Stono's Rebellion where 100 slaves cried out for Liberty and stole guns with ammunition and killed 20 white people. Of course, they were caught for their actions and hunted down all slaves and killed them as well. This gave a new found fear for the whites, which I was so shocked to hear. I'm surprised they couldn't see a rebellion act coming, especially the way they treat their slaves. I think it comes to show they have no respect for them, seeing they weren't smart enough to rebel when obviously, they were.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, we learn about the different colonies and cities of societies that start to form. What caught my eye was the fact that women were able to have their own opinion. Though the indigenous women didn't have much choices, the fact that they were given choices is still proves a point that they were able to do what they pleased without any hassle or consequences. This shocked me only because I thought women had no voice at all until Women's Rights came around in the 1840's. The fact that they had the right to marry someone from an upper class, and able to move up the class system gave them more freedom than most slaves. This actually put women in a better position than slaves, because it's finally refreshing to hear that the lower class are having respect.
 The other topic that I've always had a huge fascination with is the Salem Witch Trial, where innocent women being sentenced of false accusations to witchcraft. It occured to me that it was mainly men that were accusing the women of these horrible accusations. Mainly, I thought they were being threatened by their success, or would have the same level power as men. Though men and women would get locked up for these name blame game.

Chapter 2

  I've always had a fascination with the Renaissance period, and when they mentioned it in the chapter, I was intrigued to find out that even though the Renaissance period was the most artistic time, there was a lot of economic tensions. It was hard for people, especially peasants to keep up with taxes and they were the ones that were getting taxed the most. It's hard to believe that European kingdom would charge their lowest class to keep the economy going. Later, we find out that it actually benefit Europe in the long run, with Europe's population increasing by double and having less people compete for jobs.
 The other interesting part of the chapter is the African Slave Trade that was also brought in class. I was familiar with some of the passages of how traumatic the journey and the labor was for slaves, but it wasn't until we discussed it in class where you explained how dehumanizing it was for them. How life would only get harder for them once they left their native homeland.
  Another interesting fact that I didn't know is that the Spaniards tried to prevent any other nations from taking over the new land for they wanted to conquer most of America and kill off the Native Americans. Learning people's motives for coming to America, and their reason for leaving their homeland for new opportunity shows me that the American Dream has been established since the beginning. The dream for new hopes, dreams, and goals.

Chapter 1: Native People of America

  When I learned about the Trail of Tears in high school, (when the Cherokee tribe were forced to move from the Mississippi & Georgia area to the Indian area now known as Oklahoma) it sparked a sudden interest to learn more about the Native Americans. Our textbook gets into great depth of how each tribe is distinguished or well known by their culture, religion, or architects. I was in such awe to find out how advanced some Native Americans were in their architect and technology. It was impeccable knowing they had certain eras of golden ages for certain accomplishments; such as the Anasazi period was known for their distinctive architect called Kivas. In Chapter 2, we will also be learning about the different eras in Europe such as the Renaissance Era, etc. Not only were Native Americans able to create, learn, and develop, they did it along with the rest of the world. Knowing that the first American citizens also had these transitions to grow and develop into a nation by creating different tribes is such a beautiful thing.
The duration of the Anasazi period, they already had formed architects and buildings from the earth elements that surround them along with having architects inspired by their religion and culture. It reminds me of how the Greeks would base their architects on their Gods, and have it engraved into the places where they live.
  By the end of the chapter, they end with "North American Peoples on the Eve of European Contact" showing that Native Americans were not that different from Europeans, they were alike in more ways than one. Their values of kinship and gender such as nuclear families still held the same traditional values that is carried on and used today.